Safety and Security
The Department of Safety and Security has the responsibility for coordinating the safety of a projected student population of 38,387, 8,752 employees, and all visitors of our schools. The department is also responsible for the security of all 54 school buildings. The underlying goal is to ensure a safe, positive learning environment for students and staff of our schools that is made possible by the dedication and commitment of all Harford County Public School Employees. The students also play an intricate part by adhering to the rules, respecting the rights of others and taking pride in their schools.
Harford County Public School's is fortunate to have a law enforcement community that is committed to the safety of our children. Through the collaborated efforts of the HCPS and the police agencies, we now have officers and deputies assigned in every high and middle school throughout the county. These dedicated individuals are referred to as "School Resource Officers" and on a daily basis can be found working closely with students, teachers, and school administrators.
A new program is being introduced into schools called the Gang Resistance Education And Training or G.R.E.A.T. for short.
- The G.R.E.A.T. Program is a school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curriculum. With prevention as its primary objective, the program is intended as an immunization against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership.
- G.R.E.A.T. has developed partnerships with nationally recognized organizations, such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the National Association of Police Athletic Leagues. These partnerships encourage positive relationships among the community, parents, schools, and law enforcement officers.
- G.R.E.A.T. lessons focus on providing life skills to students to help them avoid using delinquent behavior and violence to solve problems. The G.R.E.A.T. Program offers a continuum of components for students and their families.
HCPS Current Security Classification
Click the tabs below for more information about Safety and Security:
Safety and Security Resources
HCPS Links
Gang Information Websites
These sites are provided by the Harford County Sheriff's Office to inform citizens of the emergence of gang activities in Harford County.
Informational Links
Child Sex Offender Registry
This registry is provided by the
Harford County Sheriff's Office to enable citizens to verify if a registered sex offender is
in their community.
Another useful website to guard against sexual predators and violent criminals www.familywatchdog.us
The site was developed by John Walsh from Americas Most Wanted. This is another tool to keep our kids safe!
Safety Tips
Elementary - Remember to review with your child
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The importance of looking both ways before crossing the street
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At bus stops, they should always be aware of their surroundings and report anything unusual to a trusted adult
Middle/High
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Imitating gang affiliation by dress or hand signs is prohibited on school property, but more important it can put yourself in harm way if confronted by a true gang member
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Make sure your locker is closed and locked before leaving for class
Vehicles
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Keep you car locked
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Keep valuable out of sight, Ipods, radar detectors, mapping devices and video players are easy targets for thieves.
- Thieves are now looking for suction cup marks on the windshield, a sign that these devices may be inside the car. Be smart and keep cloth handy to remove the suction cup mark
What's New? - To date, Seventeen Harford County Public Secondary Schools have been equipped with state of the art IP surveillance camera systems. Those include all high schools and six of the eight middle schools. Fallston and North Harford Middle Schools are in the approval phase of having surveillance cameras installed this year.